Army Veteran Pushes Back as Patriotism Declines Across America

As Americans prepare to celebrate the 249th anniversary of this nation’s founding, a sobering truth is emerging: patriotism is on the decline. According to a new Economist/YouGov poll, 44% of Americans believe the country is becoming less patriotic. Only 14% think it’s heading in the other direction.

But one former soldier isn’t buying the pessimism.

Jesse Parks, a U.S. Army veteran who served in Afghanistan, sees the shift but he’s not giving up. And he’s calling on the rest of America to do the same.

“Flags being burnt, protests becoming more frequent it tears down the country,” Parks said. Raised in a military family and steeped in the values of duty and service, Parks represents a fading generation of Americans who didn’t just talk about loving their country they proved it with action.

Parks tried to enlist in the Marine Corps but was initially rejected. He didn’t quit. He joined the U.S. Army instead, later deploying to Afghanistan where he trained Afghan troops and led an infantry fire team. For him, joining the military wasn’t about benefits or college credits it was about one thing: “You join the military to fight for your country.”

Patriotism, he says, is “a love of your country put into action,” whether through military service, public office, or civic engagement. But these days, fewer Americans share that love or even understand what it means.

Gallup’s latest survey shows just 67% of Americans say they’re extremely or very proud to be American, a steep drop from 91% in 2004. A separate Marist poll found 52% of respondents think the country is less patriotic than just a few years ago.

Why the drop? It’s hard to ignore the radical cultural and political shifts that have splintered this nation:

• Far-left groups like Antifa treat patriotism like a disease, openly calling for the dismantling of the country they despise.

• The Left’s obsession with grievance politics has replaced unity with division, vilifying anyone who dares wave the flag or speak of American exceptionalism.

• Major cities have become war zones, with anti-police riots and brazen attacks on first responders now disturbingly common.

Even Parks admits the rot isn’t isolated to one side. He called both Antifa and the January 6 rioters out as groups who “seem like they don’t care about this country and want to tear it down.”

But here’s where Parks stands apart: he still has hope. “There is a lot of talk about division in the country at the moment, but I don’t think that is anything new,” he said. “I hope people will get involved over the issues they think are important.”

The fix, he says, isn’t apathy or cynicism it’s participation. “Participation will increase their sense of pride and reignite a love for their country.”

Parks isn’t a politician or pundit. He’s not part of the media elite. He’s a man who wore the uniform, fought overseas, and came back believing America is still worth fighting for.

And as this nation enters another July 4th with its soul in question, his message couldn’t be more important.

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